In W38 in the pear landscape, Hortgro has revised its South African pear export forecasts for the 2023 season due to adverse weather events, including hail and floods. The current estimated export volume for pears is 17.1 million cartons, a 19% year-over-year (YoY) decrease. The main apple and pear-producing regions in South Africa experienced severe hailstorms in Nov-22 and Dec-22. On June 23, the Western Cape province experienced heavy rainfall and strong winds, affecting pear quantity and quality for the current season. In W29, the total number of pears inspected for export was 14.7 million cartons, a 13% YoY decrease.
Prickly pears have remained relatively stable in Italy during the summer of 2023 despite extreme weather conditions. However, a recent shortage has been reported but is expected to improve with sufficient shipments from Sicily starting in W39. Most imported prickly pears come from Colombia and Italy, particularly Sicily. Prices tend to be highest at the beginning and end of the season but may decrease during the peak season due to increased abundance.
In Greece, pear growers have faced challenges similar to other regions. Excessive rain in the Corinth area led to a 20 to 40% drop in botrytis and rot across all pear varieties. In the Kavala area, where harvesting is ongoing, adverse weather during May-23 and Jun-23 resulted in a 40% reduction in pear production. Spain is also experiencing weather-related uncertainties, with intense storms in Murcia and Alicante causing a 20 to 30% decrease in pear production. Small sizes and low Brix degrees are also observed due to the decision to leave more kilos on the plants. To compensate for the California supply shortage, the United States (US) and Canadian importers have turned to Peru for pear supplies in November, December, and January.
Lastly, an intense monsoon in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, in India, has caused significant damage to the horticulture sector this year, particularly impacting pear crops, which suffered damage on 4.8 thousand hectares (ha) of land. The damage has led to substantial losses for fruit growers in the region, affecting the livelihoods of many farmers. Apple crops also faced damage, but a significant impact was reported in pear cultivation.